Lyme disease was most prevalent in 2015 in Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts, according to surveillance data published in the CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. The number of cases has remained stable over recent years, but data show rising incidence in neighboring states, writes physician Cassandra Calabrese.

Ventura County Animal Services staff are caring for more than 1,000 animals affected by massive wildfires burning in Southern California and they have posted a list of needed supplies online, spokesman Randy Friedman said. The animal services departments of the city and county of Los Angeles are seeking people to foster or adopt displaced animals, and the California Wildlife Center and The Gentle Barn's Emergency Animal Rescue Service are seeking donations to help care for injured animals.

A Government Accountability Office report revealed that the VA spent more than $1.1 billion to develop, contract assistance for and implement the Integrated EHR and VistA Evolution programs from 2011 to 2016. "Contract data showed that the 15 key contractors that worked on both programs accounted for $741 million of the funding obligated for system development, project management, and operations and maintenance to support the two programs," GAO officials said.

An individualized approach to glycemic control in type 2 diabetes reduced life expectancy due to an increase in complications, but patients had an increase in quality-adjusted life-years resulting from fewer hypoglycemic events and medications, compared with the uniform intensive control group, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers evaluated data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 to 2012 and found that individualized control saved $13,547 per patient, compared with intensive control.

Australian researchers found that age, age at diabetes diagnosis and diabetes duration were associated with an increased risk for macrovascular complications for patients with type 2 diabetes, while only diabetes duration was tied to an increased risk for microvascular complications. The findings in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications were based on data from the 2015 Australian National Diabetes Audit.

Zika virus infection in male marmosets mimics the infection in humans, making the small monkey an excellent model for studying the disease as well as potential vaccines, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The virus was detected in wild marmosets in Brazil, suggesting that the monkeys are potential reservoirs for the virus, the investigators said.

Senators from both parties agreed during a committee hearing on high drug prices that they need to clamp down on patent "evergreening" and other techniques that drugmakers use to extend monopolies and prevent generic competition. The hearing centered on a recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which called for measures including ending pay-for-delay deals that put competition on hold, allowing HHS to negotiate drug prices and permitting exclusion of certain drugs from formularies when cheaper drugs could offer similar clinical benefits.

Most grocery stores offer nearly a dozen varieties of winter squash, all of which are rich in vitamins A and C as well as fiber, says registered dietitian Rachael Hartley. RD Alex Caspero and other dietitians describe some of the most common varieties and explain how to pick, store, cut and prepare winter squash.

Dr. Melina Jampolis worked with experts in nutrition and obesity medicine to compile a list of the most common behavioral and medical reasons people fail to lose weight despite their best efforts, and she includes suggestions for successful, sustained weight loss. Calorie amnesia, indulgent weekends, medications and eating too much of certain foods are common barriers to weight loss, Jampolis writes.

A study led by researchers at Georgetown University is testing a yogurt that contains bifidobacteria, a probiotic, to see if it reduces the incidence of diarrhea in children who are taking antibiotics.